Garden

Well I was going to show you with two pictures what we picked out of the garden today. The computer doesn't want to cooperate. The cucumbers and cherry tomatoes and small peppers are really good tasting. In the left side of the picture we got the first cabbage. It is about the size of a soccer ball. Coleslaw tomorrow. I'm soaking it for bugs now.

I made more of those string blocks and only have 18 more to make. I planned out the size I want and the layout. I want at least a size that will fit on an extra long twin bed. I have one and also it would be a nice size for a 6 footer for the couch. Chris

Try this again

Well out of 7 pics only three would transfer. I had to breakout another container of strips to get variety, but at least I 'm finding a use for them.

Here are the blocks that are complete. They are not arranged as I would sew them together, but you can see some of the progress as it is going on. More are in sections to be sewn together.

Here is some of the aftermath. The cut off pieces and the paper shreds from the back. Basket is about half full so you can see it is an ongoing project. Chris

I've been busy

This little gal was here 4 days this week. She is almost 5 months old. It is an ongoing case so I cannot go into details, but she is a joy to have around. We haven't had a baby in the house for many years.

Needless to say this old Grandma is worn out when she leaves. You forget how much work they really are.

The sewing has taken a back seat to the issues at hand. I tried to load some pictures of the piecing I have done and the computer wouldn't cooperate. Will make an attempt in a little while to retake pictures.

My enabler Mother said she had some more scraps at her house for me so today I thyink I will go and pick them up. I know how many scraps can a girl have????? Chris

Favorite Chair

I have one don't you? The chair you want to sink into to say I've done enough today I want to rest.....

My chair is warn around the edges and needs to be shampooed. It needs new arm guards and yet I don't know anyone who sews to make some. HaHaHa! I really need to do some small touches to get some updates done around here. Time seems to be the element I have trouble with. I don't work but there isn't ever enough hours in the day.

I think I'm making excuses and yet I should be more organized and just get it done. Chris

Ok so I am a little crazy

My husband said I was totally crazy yesterday. He said why would you use up all the small pieces and seem to enjoy it. I have several blocks complete and stages of others in the process.  

Here are the smaller segments and yet I just keep sewing away. It helps that I have my headphones on and watching Netflix. I just keep stitching and pressing and this is the first I have wanted to sew for a long time. Still have the Graduation quilt to finish and this next week it will be done. I have set that goal and that is my plan and I am sticking to it.

This is the box that the scraps originated from still quite a few to get rid of. I have added 1 inch and 1.25 inch strips to it to get variety. I knew I cut them for a reason a couple years ago.

Here are a few more blocks I completed in a couple hours this morning. I think I watched three hour long segments of "Crossing Jordon" on Netflix so progress was made. Chris 

I must be old

Last night and today I' ve added a couple more blocks. Had to dig out the 1 inch strips for variety. The box of scraps were cut for small log cabin miniatures in red, white and blue. So the variety is a little limited. In the 1 inch box I have strips of browns, grays and plaids so more of a treasure trove of color and texture.

Another hot day today. We have been painting shutters and decks. So more of that got done yesterday. This time it is on the garage. Next week I will start baby sitting a 4 month old. She is in emergency guardianship at my son's house. Lots of drama and don't care to get into it, but the child is at risk health and development wise so it will be a challenge for this old girl to deal with. 

Life's twists and turns are sometimes not easy to deal with. I hope I get some stitching time while coping with this change. Thank goodness it is short term and not long days to deal with. She isn't a sick child just the potential for risk is there. Life is grand otherwise. Chris

Old school sewing

Ok this is old school alright. I'm late to the gate for sure, but I layed awake last night thinking about all the old phone books that are gathering dust. I get almost 6 a year. Not as big as they use to be because people have cellphones.

I ripped out pages and decided I would use them for foundation sewing. Well I got the hint from watching Bonnie K. Hunter's "Quilt Cam" on Wednesday night. She used a paper foundation to make strips out of scraps. She called it making fabric from scraps.

So I cut the square size I wanted which is 3.5 inches square. I wanted a 6 inch square when I got done.

I started sewing strips that had been cut for miniatures a long time ago. They have been in a box on my shelf and I decided I would see how a few blocks would go.

Pressing and small stitches are the key. Then trimming off the excess to make the square a square.

Then the fun comes with ripping of the backing. It is thin paper because it is a phone book. The real tiny stitches make the perforation in the paper release quickly.  They are colorful string pieces when they are finished

This is the container I have. Most are 1 inch or 1.5 inch strips. Some small some longer. So we will see how long it takes to empty it out.

A few square here and there maybe some day it will be a lap robe, or place mats or mug rugs we will see. Using scraps and having fun. Chris

Strange noise outside

Well not really strange just haven't heard since last year. Locusts are singing already.

When we were kids we were told it would be 6 weeks before the cold would come back. I'm sure that isn't really true, but it was a good tale.

We have canned and froze 40 quarts of green beans, but my tomatoes are not doing real well. Hot and humid and we live in the middle of a corn field so the corn is growing about 3-4 inches a day in this humid and hot weather.

The heat index was 100 degrees today with the humidity and heat factored together.
My son fought a huge fire in a small town close by. Over 25 departments assisted. 8 stores with apartments above them burned to the ground today. It was hot without the fire, but all the gear they wear made it an oven inside their protective clothing. Then the town ran out of water and it had to be pumped from the river. As of tonight they still had two departments on scene to check for hot spots.

The heat is griping the country and being safe is important. Stay safe. Chris

How does my Garden Grow???

Blogger and my mouse are not playing nice this morning. I usually add a caption by every picture. Wouldn't let me today.

The top two pictures are of a crazy radish I pulled yesterday. Never seen anything like this before. The next picture is of two of the four bags of green beans that got picked out of my little garden. The grand kids were here and they took two bags home with them. So after 6:30 last night we cleaned cut and canned 15 pts and 1 qt of green beans.

Here is a picture of the comparison size to a normal teaspoon. They are good sized beans and still tender.

We soaked them and snipped off the ends and then run them through a french cutter. So we have french cut green beans. Here is what they look like after they are cut.

As you can see in the last picture the beans are all cooked and pressure canned ready to go into the pantry for a Winter dinner. We have pulled one row of beans because they weren't producing well, but the rest of them are doing way better than we could imagine. It was a late night last night getting them all done. Chris

The 

Hot and humid

I was woke up with thunder and lightening at 3:45am. So I got up and started to sew.
I got more of the border sewn and I'm down to one border now and then it will be done. I got the border cut and need to cut the batting and backing after while.

Nothing really on TV until about 9pm. I maybe won't be up that long. Time will tell if I can stay awake that long.

We have a Netflix account and I can stream it into my sewing room.  I have been watching "Crossing Jordan" It was on for 7 seasons and I turn it on and sew away. I think I've seen 34 episodes so far. I really enjoy the stimulation of having it on. I get lost in the story and just keep sewing. I do like the radio and sometimes get stations on the radio.

I really haven't had much success getting a whole lot done this year. I told myself this would be the year of finishes. That hasn't happened.

The heat is 90*F right now with a heat index of 100*F. Not a good day to be outside in. Hope all of you are comfortable and doing something you enjoy doing. Chris

Making slow progress

I don't think this quilt will ever end. It is getting closer, but now I can't sit very long at the machine. My sciatic nerve is killing me. I did some stencil tracing and then decided to do more stitching to outline it a little more. Not sure you can see the details because I used white thread. I think after it is washed and dried it will show more depth to the outline stitching. 

I can sit for about 45 minutes to an hour and a half and then have to move. I change chairs also used a pillow behind the small of my back for support. Nothing really works. Old age isn't agreeing with me at all.
Tomorrow I have two more of the white sections to mark and stitch and then the final borders can be assembled and sewn in place. I think I am going to make them and quilt them before I attach to the middle of the quilt. The weight is getting hard to handle under the needle. Remember it was to be twin and is now a queen. Chris Stay cool. Really hot and humid here.

Have a Safe and Happy 4th

Hope everyone in your households have a Safe and Happy 4th. We are going to pick and can beans here. Maybe do a cook out with my Mother.

This is the last section of this border. It needs one more set of borders and it will be complete. I have procrastinated to long on this one. Hopefully before the weekend is over I will be almost done. Chris

eight pounds of beans on second picking

Today is going to be quiet. We picked 8lbs. of green beans from our little garden. Three days before we picked 6lbs. I have many more coming on. We got a french cutter for the beans and have froze two gallon bags which I use at holiday time and 5 quart bags out of this entire mess.

We have been mowing and painting. We are using a solid stain on our decks and getting them ready. All the spindles lead to a lot of hours painting. Also we are repainting our shutters. They are oxidized and we didn't like the color. Changes all the time.

Neighbor is getting a new roof and we are watching that process. It has been beautiful here. In the 70"s. Not sure how long.

The Arizona fire is about 8 miles from my brother's house and he is worried as he should be as fast as it has grown. The 19 firefighters were from the town he lives in. Sad thing when anyone dies fighting a fire let alone 19 of them.

Sewing hasn't happened. But the mind is always thionking about it. Chris